A step by step guide to the making of a fully bespoke suit
THE BESPOKE TAILORING PROCESS
Chalking out the finished pattern on to the fabric
When ordering a fully bespoke suit you are measured in great detail taking into account all the idiosyncrasies of your posture. You are measured by a bespoke cutter who has years of experience. It’s important that the person measuring you is the same person who will be doing the cutting. He will need to see a picture of you in his mind while he analyses the measurements and creates a unique pattern for you. If necessary the cutter will take a photo of the client at the first appointment.
The basted garment
The suit is then hand cut to your specific measurements and then hand stitched at our work studio, but only up to the ‘baste’ stage. This stage is what makes a bespoke suit bespoke. If your tailor claims to be making you a bespoke suit but there is no baste stage then it is not a bespoke suit. Without this stage it can only be semi-bespoke or made to measure. A baste is a half-made suit that is not properly finished and only temporarily held together with white baste stitching. This allows it to be easily taken apart and remade.
The basted garment has unfinished lapels, no buttons and no buttonholes
The Second Appointment – First Fitting
Hand stitching after the baste stage
At this stage you will have your first fitting and the cutter will assess the accuracy of his measurements. The basted suit is a blueprint or ‘first draft’ of the final version and can be radically altered if necessary. The cutter will make notes and usually chalk several marks on the suit to instruct the tailors on how the suit is to be altered.
The fact that the suit is only basted together allows you the opportunity to dramatically change the style if you wish. For example there are no buttonholes on this garment so if you want to raise or lower the buttoning position this is easily possible. You also have the opportunity to narrow or widen the lapels or shoulders if you wish.
The Third Appointment – Second Fitting
At the second fitting the garment is at a more advanced stage
At the second fitting the garment is at a more advanced stage.
At this point the suit will be at a more advanced stage of tailoring and may be almost completely finished (depending on the complexity of your shape).
All of the alterations carried out by the specialist bespoke adjustment tailor will be assessed and scrutinized by the cutter.
The final adjustments will be marked up and then carried out by the tailors.
The Fourth / Final Appointment – Third Fitting
The Pefection
Depending on your shape, this may be your final fitting. If so the cutter will check that the adjustments have been done correctly and if you are happy with the suit you can take it home.
If further adjustments are required it will be returned to the tailors until it is perfect. Cutters are perfectionists by nature and a good cutter will not rest until the suit is perfect.
After all he has a reputation to protect.
All in all this process involves 80 to 100 hours of manual work by skilled craftsmen. This is one of the reasons why fully bespoke suits are so much more expensive than made to measure suits.
SEMI BESPOKE
At Ascots & Chapels, your journey to clothing excellence begins with placing an order for a fully bespoke suit, or our latest introduction of semi-bespoke suits.
In order to proceed with the order efficiently, your measurements will be first taken in great detail, taking into account all the idiosyncrasies of your posture. Such a time-proven, meticulous system of measuring enables our bespoke master tailors to work on the material in the finest detail, thus creating the perfect silhouette for you. Thereafter, we will help you choose the fabric that holds the best answer to your styling needs.
Depending on the complexity of your shape, this may very well be your final fitting. If this is the case, the cutter will check that all adjustments have been made correctly and if you are satisfied with the results, you can take the suit home!
Should further adjustments be required, the suit will be returned to the tailor until it is perfect. Perfection is a standard that our cutters abide by, and we endeavour to deliver that to you.
Ascots and Chapels provide each patron with a brand new tailored suit, including two pairs of trousers. This complies to our unique service offerings geared towards convenience and comfort.
We also offer a special service for our customers, who wish to possess a semi-bespoke suit, wherein you can complete your measurements and design requests in one country and have the suit delivered to your house or hotel in another country. Ascots & Chapels intends to take its operations on a global scale and offer you the luxury of convenience.
FULL BESPOKE
At Ascots & Chapels, your journey to clothing excellence begins with placing an order for a fully bespoke suit.
Bespoke is a term dating back to the 17th century when tailors held the full lengths of cloth in their premises. When a customer chose a length of material it was said to have been spoken for upon which a tailor could design your clothes individually, to your specific personal requirements.
At Ascots & Chapels we believe in incorporating only the highest quality materials in our suits.
All of our suits, whether bespoke or semi bespoke, are either three quarter horsehair canvassed or fully canvassed. Our suits are all stitched together. Nothing inside is fused or glued.
Inside the lapel for example, lengths of horse’s tail are woven into the canvas and this makes the suit more springy and resilient, and helps it to keep its shape.
It takes time and expertise to make a suit properly, and it must be made using only the finest components if it’s going to keep its shape for any length of time.
As the UK has the worst record for dry cleaning in Europe, suits need to be made stronger and stronger to withstand such abuse.